COTO receives $25K gift

MALVERN — College of the Ouachitas recently received an unrestricted gift of $25,000 from West Fraser, the largest lumber producer in North America, according to a news release.

As an acknowledgment of the gift, the COTO board of trustees approved a naming recognition and establishment of the West Fraser Training Room in the Center for Applied Science Technology building.

The partnership between the company and COTO began in 2016 with the college providing technical and professional development and workforce computer training to West Fraser employees throughout the southern U.S. in an ongoing program of employee professional development.

Mason Robinson, COTO’s Director of Workforce Development, has conducted training for West Fraser’s employees in the Professional Learning Community Academy and Professional Development Academy, held at the college’s CAST.

Chester Fort, Regional Manager for West Fraser, spoke on careers in manufacturing to the students from the COTO Camp for Advanced Manufacturing and Production, who toured the company’s facilities. Fort works closely with COTO to assist in West Fraser’s employee development and training programs.

Submitted photo DONATION: The $25,000 donation was presented by West Fraser employees and and accepted by COTO administration, including, from left, COTO vice president of finance and administration David See; COTO Foundation board member Brian Coston; foundation board member Bobby Jones; COTO board of trustees chair and foundation board member Bill Fowler; foundation board vice-chair Don Walsh; foundation board chair Kinney Black; West Fraser U.S. operations manager Darren Brkic; COTO president Steve Rook; West Fraser regional manager Chester Fort; director of workforce development Mason Robinson; COTO vice president for academic affairs Pat Simms; executive director of college advancement and COTO foundation member Amber Childers; and COTO vice president of student affairs Kim Armstrong.